Esther Lee's First Pro Win Comes in Second Start

Esther Lee finished her collegiate career at the University of Colorado just a couple months ago. But she didn't have to wait long after turning pro to earn her first winner's check: Esther won in just her second start as a professional golfer.

That tournament was the Long Beach Women's Open, part of the Cactus Tour schedule, that concluded on Aug. 3. Lee carded rounds of 73, 69 and 67 to finish at 7-under 209 and claim the win by a single stroke. It was a birdie on the second-to-last hole that provided that winning stroke.

Esther told us she "thought that playing the Cactus Tour events in California would be a good mental refresher before diving into Q-School."

Her first tournament as a pro happened a week before she won at the Cactus Tour's Mission Hills tournament. And she finished fourth in that event with a 3-under final score.

"Playing well in the first tournaments since college is definitely a confidence booster," Esther said, "and I'm just ready to play through Q-School and get my card."

Playing well in the Mission Hills tour event should carry its own confidence boost for Lee, apart from the good finish, because that's where LPGA Q-School begins. Esther, and hundreds of other LPGA hopefuls, tee off in the Stage I qualifier Aug. 24-27. It's doubtful any others in the field will go into it as hot as Esther, though.

(Photos: instagram/estarr18)

Hyunju Yoo (Hyeonjoo Ryu): Newest Glamour Girl of the KLPGA

First, let's clear up why we've listed two names for this golfer in the headline. When she first came on the scene, she (and everyone else) spelled her name "Hyeonjoo Ryu." But recently on social media, she started spelling it "Hyunju Yoo." And we figure she knows better than anyone how to translate the Korean spelling of her name into an English spelling. (The KLPGA now uses that spelling, too.)

So who is Hyunju Yoo? She's the newest glamour girl on the KLPGA (Korean LPGA Tour). In 2016, SeoulSisters.com wrote, "Speaking of turning heads, Hyeonjoo Ryu was a new photographers’ favorite in 2016."

A few months ago, we saw Yoo referred to as "fast becoming a media darling" in Korea, where she has started gracing magazine covers and taking part in more photoshoots with sponsors and fashion outlets.

Hyunju hasn't yet won on the KLPGA. She's held the lead in a few tournaments, but so far in 2017 has a top finish of 25th. In 2016 her top finish was 11th place.

Yoo was born in 1994 and first appeared in a KLPGA tournament in 2011 when she was 17 years old.

Scottish Open Win for Mi Hyang Lee

It seems like Mi Hyang Lee has been on the cusp of an LPGA breakout for many years now, but she's still only 24. And after the 2017 Ladies Scottish Open, she now how twice as many LPGA wins as she had before.

Lee won the Scottish Open by one stroke over runners-up M.J. Hur and Karrie Webb. She earned it - her second career victory on the LPGA - by shooting 31 on the front nine, the parring every back-nine hole until a birdie on the last. Lee finished at 6-under 282.

Mi Hyang, who lives in South Carolina now, got her first LPGA win back in 2014, a playoff win at the Mizuno Classic.

Blair O'Neal, Paige Spiranac Top 15 at Celebrity Major

The American Century Celebrity Golf Championship is the best-known celebrity golf tournament going. It even gets network television coverage on NBC Sports.

And in 2017, two Golf Babes faves - Blair O'Neal and Paige Spiranac - posted Top 15 finishes. To be specific, O'Neal tied for 12th place and Spiranac finished 14th.

Paige shot one of the best final round scores, a 71, to move up the leaderboard on the last day.

If you're wondering, Blair and Paige played from the men's tees, same as everyone else in the field. So their scores of 75-74-77 for Blair and 76-80-71 for Paige are more impressive than at first glance.

As Spiranac put it in a Facebook post:

"Finished top 15 in my first American Century Championship! Not too bad since I was playing from the same tees as the boys haha"

Not too bad at all.

O'Neal has played the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship before, but this was Spiranac's first time. Hopefully we'll see them both again next year.

Danielle Kang Makes Her First Pro Win a Major

Just one week ago, at the NW Arkansas Championship, Danielle Kang missed the cut. Afterward, she tweeted this photo:

And gave it this caption:

"When you're a donut on the golf course, you get to play with a donut at the pool on a Sunday"

Calling herself a "donut" was a little harsh (although she missed the cut, she shot 71-71), but perhaps Kang was just saving up her birdies for the next week.

Because one week later, at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, Kang got not only her first career win on the LPGA Tour, but did it in a major championship. Kang finished the Women's PGA (formerly known as the LPGA Championship) at 13-under 271 after shooting 69-66-68-68. Danielle made a slew of tough par-saving putts on the final day, and threw in birdies when it counted. That included a birdie on the final hole to secure the victory by one shot over defending champ Brooke Henderson.

It feels like her first pro win should have come sooner for Kang, but that's only because the talent that helped her win back-to-back U.S. Women's Amateur Championships in 2010-11 has always been obvious.

And it's not like Danielle was struggling during those winless years. Still only 24 years old, this is Danielle's sixth season as a member of the LPGA. And she's never come close to losing her card. As a rookie in 2012, she finished 52nd on the money list. That was followed by money list finishes of 57th, 55th and 62nd. Danielle was a consistent earner, even if she wasn't often, in those years, scaring the top of the leaderboard.

In 2016, Danielle made a leap. She crossed the $500,000 single-season earnings mark, posted three Top 10s and finished 36th on the money list.

In 2017 - prior to her win at the Women's PGA - Danielle had already posted a career-best for Top 10s. And she'd moved in to the Top 50 of the world rankings.

Now that win No. 1 is out of the way, here's looking forward to many more.

Muni He (aka Lily He)

Who is Muni He? She's a highly promising amateur golfer who just completed her freshman season at the University of Southern California. And, as is obvious, if the pro golf thing doesn't work out (it will), there's always modeling.

Muni - friends call her Lily - was born in China but grew up in Southern California playing the junior circuit. She first gained national prominence in 2014 with an Honorable Mention selection as a Rolex Junior All-American. She made the first team in 2016.

In 2015, Muni qualified to play in the U.S. Women's Open and made the cut. She played in her first two professional tournaments, the Blue Bay LPGA and the Hyundai China Ladies Open.

More appearances in pro tournaments followed in 2016, including a tie for 30th place at the Reignwood LPGA Classic. She also played the Hyundai China Ladies Open and Omega Dubai Ladies Masters.

So despite her young age - still just 19 - Muni He has a multi-continent, multi-pro-tour resume already.

And her freshman season as a USC Trojan? Southern Cal always has a very strong women's golf team. Muni made the tournament roster for nine of USC's 12 tournaments with a best finish of seventh place.

At the time this is written, He is ranked No. 47 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.